faba Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 NFLPA wants inquiry on Welker deal to Pats By Harvey Fialkov South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted March 13 2007 The NFL Players Association is concerned that the Patriots and Dolphins violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement while putting together the recent trade of receiver Wes Welker and has asked the NFL Management Council for an explanation, according to a source. "They may have violated the CBA rule that says one club can't offer the player's former team anything that would [sway] that team from matching their offer," the source said. "Anti-collusion [rule], that's another thing that may come into play." The source added that the NFLPA's interest in the matter stemmed from complaints made by Welker's agent, Vann McElroy, regarding the devaluation of his client because of possible violations. The inquiry was also based on a series of newspaper and Internet reports leading up to the trade that indicated that the Patriots were set to give Welker, then a restricted free agent, an offer sheet worth $38.5 million over seven years on March 3. An NFL.com report said the Patriots were going to include a "poison pill" that said if Welker played four games in Florida, his contract would become fully guaranteed. No offer sheet was tendered by the Patriots and on March 5, the Dolphins traded Welker, their leading receiver in 2006, to New England for a second- and seventh-round draft pick. Because the Dolphins offered Welker the mid-level $1.3 million tender on March 2, the Patriots only had to surrender a second-round pick if the Dolphins chose not to match. By sweetening the pot with the seventh-round pick, the Patriots avoided the offer sheet and averted the possibility that the Dolphins would've matched the offer. The Patriots then signed Welker to a five-year deal worth $18.1 million, with $9 million guaranteed, approximately half the value of the original offer. The NFL Management Council represents all 32 teams, so in effect the NFLPA is asking the Dolphins and Patriots for an explanation of how the trade went down. The Dolphins chose not to comment on the matter. The Patriots and McElroy didn't return messages. One agent said that these inquiries generally "go nowhere." "When it comes to anti-tampering and collusion in regards to players, generally the league looks the other way and hands out a slap on the wrist unless the player's agent gets all frustrated and thinks their player has been devalued," the agent said. "If the player's happy with the offer and the teams are happy, the league's stance is, `Let's move on.'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyjunc Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 pioli & Belichick should be drug tested for making the Welker deal but nothing will come out of this investigation though it would be nice if both got penalized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4HCrew Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I just cannot see why they were thinking to pay so much for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachTsurfing Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Well, the Pats got really screwed, but I still can't understand why they then signed stallworth and then washington. what are they going to do with the other wide outs that they have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Well, the Pats got really screwed, but I still can't understand why they then signed stallworth and then washington. what are they going to do with the other wide outs that they have? Caldwell? Gaffney? Jackson? Hopefully they will help them get jump started on "their life after football". Hopefully for the Pats that is. Personally watching those guys drop passes will never get old for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachTsurfing Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I thought caldwell had a decent year. he had like 700 yards or something like that. I guess most of them will be looking for new gigs next year though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xcel2NuFX Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Caldwell? Gaffney? Jackson? Hopefully they will help them get jump started on "their life after football". Hopefully for the Pats that is. Personally watching those guys drop passes will never get old for me! I don't have the numbers but as of now I would think that Chad Jackson was the only guy that they had made a long term investment in and theres been tons of speculation about him being ready for next season because of his knee. Caldwell and Gaffney could be fighting for a roster spot. Kelly Washington was certainly not brought in to be anything more than a 3rd or 4th reciever. I just don't know about welker being a starting WR he just seems like he is a fulltime slot guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#27TheDominator Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I thought Gaffney was the only Pat that caught a ball in the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsrule128 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 jets are going to be better then the pats in the year of hofstra 07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM31 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I would definitely love to have a situation where the Dolphins and the Patriots were found to be guilty of collusion. Now the only thing that would make that a perfect day altogether would be to figure out a rationale that would have them both owing the JETS draft picks in compenstation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFSIKH Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 pioli & Belichick should be drug tested for making the Welker deal but nothing will come out of this investigation though it would be nice if both got penalized. Why? What is the difference between his contract and Cotchery's? Both wideouts coming off career years sign contracts. Welker fills a void that Troy Brown used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Why? What is the difference between his contract and Cotchery's? Both wideouts coming off career years sign contracts. Welker fills a void that Troy Brown used to. Please don't tell me you're comparing Welker to Cotchery. The difference is Cotchery earned his contract,Welker didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFSIKH Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Please don't tell me you're comparing Welker to Cotchery. The difference is Cotchery earned his contract,Welker didn't. No. I think Cotchery is alot more explosive, but Welker is better then people think. 29 and 67 catches his first two years are not exactly bad output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted March 15, 2007 Author Share Posted March 15, 2007 Welker played mostly on specials in Miami. Cotchery is a everydown player in the NFL-Welker isn't- that is your big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFSIKH Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Welker played mostly on specials in Miami. Cotchery is a everydown player in the NFL-Welker isn't- that is your big difference. True. He will be lined up in the slot. The Patriots use 3-4+ wideouts (roughly 75-80% of the time. He is going to get playing time and there is no reason, given the talent in New England he can not put up similar numbers (67-687-1) like he did last year in Miami where he was in the same role. Probably not 60+, but in the 50-60 range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Jet Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Please don't tell me you're comparing Welker to Cotchery. The difference is Cotchery earned his contract,Welker didn't. EXACTLY !!! To compare the 2 wideouts is absurd , even for a troll. Besides the Patsies gave up 2 draft choices for him including a #2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECURB Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 No. I think Cotchery is alot more explosive, but Welker is better then people think. 29 and 67 catches his first two years are not exactly bad output. Cotch is a Patriot killer... Welker is a #3 receiver on any team with good WR's He is a great Slot WR, thats it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyjunc Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Why? What is the difference between his contract and Cotchery's? Both wideouts coming off career years sign contracts. Welker fills a void that Troy Brown used to. You aren't really comparing Welker to Cotchery are you? First off as far as deals go Cotchery got $7 mil guaranteed while welker got $10 mil PLUS you had to give up a 2nd & 7th rd pick. As far as performance goes the 2 aren't close, jericho is miles ahea do Welker. welker is a nice #3 WR, jericho is a solid starter right now and has #1 ability. Welker's claim to fame are his ability on 3rd down and his abilityt to move the chains well Jericho had mroe recs on 3rd down and more recs for 1st downs on 3rd AND 20 more recs for 1st down. The 2 aren't close in any way yet it cost NE a hell of a lot more to get welker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFSIKH Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Cotch is a Patriot killer... Welker is a #3 receiver on any team with good WR's He is a great Slot WR, thats it. You are right. Welker is what the Patriots need. The Patriots' offense was at it's best when Troy was productive int he slot. Welker can provide that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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